Now Playing
Atlantic RecordsLizzo is being accused by a Los Angeles songwriter of using his lyrics, melody, and chords in her hit song “Truth Hurts” without giving him credit or compensation.
Justin Raisen writes in an Instagram post that on April 11, 2017, he and his brother Jeremiah created a song, titled “Healthy,” with Lizzo and songwriters Jesse St. John and Yves Rothman that opens with the same line used in ”Truth Hurts”: “I just took a DNA test, turns out I’m 100% that b***h.”
Raisen claims he’s spent the last two years contacting Lizzo and her team in an attempt to receive credit and 5% royalties for himself and his three co-writers, but he has been “shutdown [sic] every time.”
“The last thing we want to do is throw any negativity toward Lizzo’s momentum and movement as a cultural figure,” Raisen continues. However, he adds that going public “seems to be the only way at this point in relieving some of our emotional distress caused by this.”
Raisen also writes that British singer Mina Lioness inspired the song with her tweet, “I did a DNA test and found out I’m 100% that b***h”. He says if the dispute is settled, he wants to share part of the proceeds with Lioness.
“Truth Hurts” remained at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks until it was replaced this week by Travis Scott’s “Highest in the Room.” The double platinum hit set the record for the longest number-one solo single by a female rap artist. Cardi B previously held record for three weeks set in 2017 with “Bodak Yellow.”
Copyright © 2019, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
